Survey: D.C. would pay more for transportation technology

WASHINGTON – Would you pay more for better transportation technology? If you’re in D.C., it’s likely.

Eight in 10 people surveyed in D.C., New York and Los Angeles say they’d pay more for technology, including purchasing tickets via smartphone, and better communication from public transit agencies, especially if the technology resulted in shorter lines.

The Accenture survey finds that out of nine major cities worldwide, D.C. is the most likely to check social media for transit updates. Seventy-one percent use it on a daily and weekly basis.

The biggest transit gripe: long lines.

Perhaps also telling, just 36 percent of D.C. respondents thought paying for transportation with their smartphones was an option, compared to 59 percent of New Yorkers and 60 percent of Los Angeles respondents.

D.C. travelers also are optimistic. Two-thirds say they believe most tickets will be purchased through phones in the next two years — and many think going paperless will push some drivers to switch to Metro.